Yiwu rides e-commerce wave

Photographer Wan Yunfei takes a photo of a product for a Taobao client in Yiwu, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Lyu Bin/For China Daily]

Chinese New Year is almost upon us, and factories in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, have been working at full speed in the lead-up producing the souvenirs and other consumer goods that have put the city on the map. Many of the items made there are popular with businessmen and others who like to exchange gifts at this time of year. The city has been given an additional boost in recent years by the growth of online trading. Yiwu is now an e-commerce hub, and one of the most prosperous areas is the village of Qingyanliu. Unassuming houses have become the headquarters of many Taobao traders, and this has earned Qing-yanliu the nickname Taobao Village. Traders rent office space from villagers and send goods all over the country. There are two reasons for this: Rents are low, and the village is close to the largest freight market in Yiwu, at Jiangdong.